Joshua Bell plays “For the Love of Brahms”
Joshua Bell’s newest CD is about friendship. Friendship between Mr. Bell and his fellow musicians, who include British cellist Steven Isserlis, and American pianist Jeremy Denk, with whom Bell has performed and recorded many times; and friendship between the composers featured on the disc, Johannes Brahms and Joseph Joachim. Completing the circle of friends are Robert and Clara Schumann, who took the young Brahms into their home and their lives, and greatly admired one another. This is Bell’s first recording of the “Double Concerto”, and does so with the Academy of St. Martin-in-the-Fields (Bell is the orchestra’s director); and the Piano Trio in B is the original 1854 version, considered more personal in its expression of love for Clara. Thanks to Mr. Isserlis, Bell is able to record a favorite piece by Schumann: the slow movement of the Violin Concerto in D minor. Joshua Bell has performed many times here in Portland with the Oregon Symphony, and has been my guest in interviews since some of his earliest appearances in the late 1980s (when he was just out of his teens). It was great to be able to catch up with this wonderful musician, and talk about this fantastic, lovely music of Brahms.
For the Love of Brahms – Denk, Bell, Isserlis, ASMF
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